Joe Biden, Enjoying the Campaign Trail
By Perry Bacon, Jr.
AKRON, Ohio -- As he might put, Sen. Joe Biden is literally enjoying running for vice president, and he's not just saying that as an applause line.

While Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. John McCain are avoiding interviews with the press corps that follows them and Biden's running mate Sen. Barack Obama projects such an aura of cool liberal columnists are begging him to get more animated, the Delaware senator is at times gleefully expansive.

"My staff says we have time for one more question, so let's take three more," he declared at a recent rally.

He stays behind at each event to shake hands and takes pictures with anyone who wants, and he's brought his personal touch on the road -- close-talking, back-tapping and kissing older women on the cheek.

He occasionally tosses a football on the tarmac before he takes off to his next city. His speeches include loads of references to his days playing high school football, quotes from his mother and father and his favorite terms: "literally" (usually when he means "figuratively"), "ladies and gentlemen" and "I mean this sincerely."

And he's brought along a bunch of long-time aides on the road, including his niece Missy, who is running his reelection campaign for the Senate, where Biden has token opposition.

Biden seems to enjoy having journalists following him around, if only to have more people listen to his running commentary on whatever springs to his mind. A CBS reporter following Biden around estimated Biden has done 80 interviews since he was named vice president, compared to two by Palin.

But most of these interviews are with local television stations, as campaign aides are wary of shifting attention from what he says on stage. He holds few formal press conferences with the reporters on the campaign trail.

But Biden loves to chat. As he toured the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, here today, two executives of the Hall talked to him about their favorite players. Biden declared at different times his love for the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers and the Colts, at least before they moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis.

Then, as he was discussing how much bigger football players are than they used to be, he approached two reporters who were standing nearby taking notes.

"You look liked you played some, man," he said to one of the reporters.

As the reporter said "no, I didn't," the candidate moved closer, tapped the reporter's upper chest and said "you need to work on your pecs." The reporters laughed.

Biden then started talking about how he stayed up late to watch the Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys game on Monday night, even though he had to do a bunch of interviews the next day on morning news shows.

"So I said, 'I've got a big day tomorrow,' I said, 'I've got to go to sleep.' I got in the room, started searching the channels and they were replaying the Eagles game and I watched the whole damn game," he said. "I don't know what time it was, 2 o'clock in the morning. I'm bleary-eyed and thinking where the heck's my speech."

Biden has had to shift from his usual ebullient tone in his speeches. When he was first picked, he said he would be a different kind of vice-presidential nominee.

"I'm not going to be an attack dog," Biden told USA Today his first week on the campaign trail, noting that he and Obama had agreed that the Delaware senator would focus on being a positive advocate for Obama. "That was part of the deal. I'm not going to fool with my brand."

But as Obama's campaign has shifted towards a more negative tone against McCain, Biden's tone has become louder and more fiery. His long rifts about the chemistry between his wife Jill and Michelle Obama and his excitement about being on the ticket have been replaced over the last few days with an at times careful reading of a detailed list of quotes from McCain and his advisers to cast them as "out of touch."

He pronounced himself "angry" at how the Republicans have much damaged the country in his mind.

But on the trail most of the time, Biden appears anything but angry. One of longtime aides said Biden had always dreamed of traveling with an entourage and huge crowds, but assumed that opportunity was over after his failed presidential run this year.

Instead, the Delaware senator is still campaigning -- and sharing his every thought.

After he talked about staying up late to watch the Eagles while at the football museum, he had more to add.

He approached the reporters and, in a low voice, said, "I'm not allowed to say this, but I also like the Giants."

VAChief

09-23-2008, 01:06 PM

I don't get how this is supposed to help her image. The protection seems so out of the norm, it makes you wonder.

And no one heard or saw Biden while shes drawing crowds as big as Obo did in denver....

Ari Chi3fs

09-23-2008, 02:03 PM

They are in the business of selling Sarah Palin's pretty face... not her intellect or her issues.

She's PURTY!!! Let's get off the issues... this election isn't about the issues!!! its about how purty Sarah Barracuda is!!!

Skip Towne

09-23-2008, 03:05 PM

They are in the business of selling Sarah Palin's pretty face... not her intellect or her issues.

She's PURTY!!! Let's get off the issues... this election isn't about the issues!!! its about how purty Sarah Barracuda is!!!

They both have teams of advisers for that stuffy crap. I'd rather look at Sarah Barracuda than that Biden dork.

Amnorix

09-23-2008, 03:17 PM

They're terrified of letting her talk, or making her face any questions or issues.

Which, of course, underscores her TOTAL lack of qualifications for the job she seeks. But they'll continue to manage her and pretend that she isn't one very old heartbeat away from being President, and hope that her conservativeness will resonate with Republicans and her vagina will resonate with women and that it will help their ticket win the White House.

Pathetic. She's easily the least qualified candidate for President/VP since Dan Quayle, and she's probably less qualified than him. :shake:

Amnorix

09-23-2008, 03:18 PM

They both have teams of advisers for that stuffy crap. I'd rather look at Sarah Barracuda than that Biden dork.

So you'll be casting your vote for Heidi Klum or someone along those lines, I guess? I mean, if you base your voting on looks alone...

Amnorix

09-23-2008, 03:24 PM

Heck, I might vote for her myself.

http://asware.net/gallery/d/4752-8/heidi_klum2.jpg

ROYC75

09-23-2008, 04:49 PM

Maybe Palin is more efficient in 2 interviews than Biden is in 80 ? :D:Poke::Poke:

I know this is eating away at the dems and liberals.

Ultra Peanut

09-23-2008, 04:53 PM

Uh, no.

But hey, you keep bragging about your VP candidate who has consolidated the base and made McCain even less appealing to everyone else, buddy.

WilliamTheIrish

09-23-2008, 05:01 PM

And no one heard or saw Biden while shes drawing crowds as big as Obo did in denver....

So she "The Chosen One" or better yet, "The Messiah"?

ChiTown

09-23-2008, 05:28 PM

So she "The Chosen One" or better yet, "The Messiah"?

The Chosen Mistress?

:D

penchief

09-23-2008, 06:46 PM

Maybe Palin is more efficient in 2 interviews than Biden is in 80 ? :D:Poke::Poke:

I know this is eating away at the dems and liberals.

Well, the best the righties can come up with after 80 interviews is that Biden is a cartoon character.

If Palin gave us 80 unscripted interviews in front of real reporters I doubt we'd even be debating her qualifications anymore. Which is why you won't see her doing much of anything between now and November 4. But that doesn't concern republicans in the slightest. They're all good with the Palin charade.

bango

09-23-2008, 07:59 PM

Biden will let anyone interview him at anytime. I interviewed him a few weeks ago for a pretend newspaper. I will tell you that he is a smart man. Palin will not be doing any interviews because she can not read, write, and does not understand english enough to do so. She can only repeat what she hears. She is like a parrot in that way.

Cannibal

09-23-2008, 08:09 PM

I know this is eating away at the dems and liberals.

I know you're full of shit. She is quickly becoming a liability and everyone knows it.

patteeu

09-23-2008, 08:44 PM

They're terrified of letting her talk, or making her face any questions or issues.

Which, of course, underscores her TOTAL lack of qualifications for the job she seeks. But they'll continue to manage her and pretend that she isn't one very old heartbeat away from being President, and hope that her conservativeness will resonate with Republicans and her vagina will resonate with women and that it will help their ticket win the White House.

Pathetic. She's easily the least qualified candidate for President/VP since Dan Quayle, and she's probably less qualified than him. :shake:

Let's see, since Quayle we've had Al Gore, Jack Kemp, Dick Cheney, and John Edwards. I'll give you Gore, Kemp, and Cheney, but Edwards must have slipped your mind.

patteeu

09-23-2008, 08:49 PM

Palin is too busy going over the heads of the leftwing cabal of mainstream journalists and taking her ticket's message directly to the people. Biden has to do interviews because he can't get enough people interested in coming out to hear him live.

ROYC75

09-23-2008, 11:26 PM

I know you're full of shit. She is quickly becoming a liability and everyone knows it.

Again, that's why I typed what I typed, it was a joke and it's eating away at the liberals and dems.......

But more than anything, she is a conservative republican, that's the biggest thing that is bugging you.

Logical

09-29-2008, 03:52 PM

So she "The Chosen One" or better yet, "The Messiah"?I am guessing Mary Magdalen...

Logical

09-29-2008, 03:54 PM

Palin is too busy going over the heads of the leftwing cabal of mainstream journalists and taking her ticket's message directly to the people. Biden has to do interviews because he can't get enough people interested in coming out to hear him live.Do you know that, or are you just speaking out your ass. Link to documented attendance for the last 2 weeks on both candidates would be appreciated.

Bowser

09-29-2008, 03:57 PM

I am guessing Mary Magdalen...

She's married to Jesus? The Dems have no chance with the Jesus wife with the cons!

banyon

09-29-2008, 04:29 PM

Palin is too busy going over the heads of the leftwing cabal of mainstream journalists and taking her ticket's message directly to the people. Biden has to do interviews because he can't get enough people interested in coming out to hear him live.